Omaha daily bee., 1887-04-25
THICK.HEADED SUBJECTS.
Bishop, the Mind-ltcader, Does Not
Secure PrOner Material.

The entertainment given by Washing
ton Irving Bishop, the mind.reader, at
the exposition building last night, was
attended by about 1900 persons. The
affair was not altogether success. But
this was not altogether due to MIR. Bishop.
He had some very stupid subjects to work
upon. And the committee of gentlemen
selected to sit on the platform to watch
the tests critically was not as bright rs it
might have been. Several annoying balks
were caused in the programme.
The committee was selected, one gen
tleman after another, rs their names hap
pened TO be called out by different per
sons in the audience. Ben Einstein," n
gentleman from Chicago, seemed to be
very badly wanted by many people IN
the audience. But he would not serve on
the committee.
At last, the committee composed of
twelve or fifteen gentlemen, was seated
aud MIR. Bishop proceeded with the en-
tcrtainment. He is a rather small, intel
lectual man, with very smooth, easy
manner of talking and prepossessing ad-
dress.
MIR. Bishop, in his first experiment Sc
lccted w. V. Morse from the committee,
told him to go down in the audience,
take dagger which was handed him,
1t. While this was going on, Mr.. Bishop
was behind the stage scenery, so that he
could see nothing. His task was to,
blind folded, in connection with MIR.
Morse, find the person who was struck
and then locate the dagger. He did not
succeed.in doing this, Mr.. Morse, who he
said not concentrating his mind suffic-
iently. Another committeeman was
selected and the experiment was per-
II. j. Davis, one OF the committee,
went in the audience, stole three differ
ent articles from rs many persons, tied
them them hid hid It. Mr.. an'stu1,' Bshop blind a%r
folded, found the handkerchief, took out
the articles and retured them to the diff
ferent owners.
Another member of the committee
took circuitous course about the build
ing. After one failure, due to neglect on
the part of the subject, the mlnd-reader,
blindfolded of course, retraced the exact
course taken.
A committeeman wrote the name of Il
person in the audience on piece of
paper, sealed it in an envelope and
handed it to Mr.. Bishop. That gentle
man placed himself en- rapport with this
committeeman and after cropping among
the audience, handed the letter to the
man whose name it contained.
Mr. Bishop then wrote on Il blackboard
the number 365, l06. which was that of u
S. concealed in the pocket of Mr.. Smith.
That gentleman donated the T5 to
the Childs Hospital and Mr.. Bishop con.
trbuted IS more.
The next experiment was the last Sew
cral gentlemen of the committee were to
select three or four persons and arrange
them in q tableauX on the stage. All
this while MIR. Bishop was blindfolded.
His task was to pick out the same gen.
tlemen from the audience and arrange
them in the very same tableaux, by read
ing the thoughts of the gentlemen who
arranged the tableauX. This experiment
was only partial success. -
They arranged two tableaux which Mr..
Bishop got mixed up in the reproducing:
So that his task was difficult one and
one that it was impossible to accomplish
perfectly. However, he did so well that
one lady shouted you've done we'll
enough!" And this seemed to be the
sentiment of the audience.
This experiment closed the entertain
ment. Mr.. Bishop expressed his thanks,
made his apologies and retired.